Man City: Alan Pardew rips into ‘naive’ Rayan Cherki after ‘insulting’ viral moment vs Arsenal
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(Credit: Imago, talkSPORT) Mon 23 March 2026 9:30, UK Manchester City attacker Rayan Cherki has been at the centre of attention on social media after his team’s Carabao Cup triumph on Sunday afternoon. VISIT THE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Alan Pardew outraged by Rayan Cherki showboatingCherki only made the move to the Etihad Stadium in the summer, but the former Lyon man has quickly settled in and begun to wow fans during the early stages of his time in the Premier League.
However, for all his positive play during the game, discussions surrounding Cherki have been dominated by his moment of showboating in the aftermath of the game. The youngster was on the receiving end of a late challenge from Arsenal defender Ben White the next time he got on the ball, and Alan Pardew was keen to stress that his juggling would have been seen as hugely disrespectful by the Gunners’ players.Ben White WIPES OUT Rayan Cherki after doing keepy uppies 65 minutes into the Carabao Cup final. 😳Pep Guardiola was also visibly unimpressed with his Man City star's showboating… Fair game or disrespectful from Cherki? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8daTEkojqC— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 22, 2026 View Tweet “He (Cherki) has been a bit naive and a bit young,” the former Newcastle and West Ham boss said on talkSPORT.“Juggling the ball like that is an insult in the professional game.
It’s unnecessary; he didn’t need to do it. 😳 "It was an insult."❌ "If you're a pro footballer, that's a no-go."Alan Pardew wasn't a fan of Rayan Cherki's showboating against Arsenal in the League Cup final… pic.twitter.com/9oJN2cwIek— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 22, 2026 View Tweet “It was exuberant, but he was having a really game, actually. I thought he was terrific.”Pep Guardiola faces questions over use of CherkiFormer Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that he is “confused” by Guardiola’s use of Cherki this season, as the starlet has regularly been in and out of the starting XI.The former recruitment boss insisted that the forward is “very highly regarded” behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium, but added that fans have been questioning why he cannot secure a regular starting spot.